CVPA faculty

Laura Vel is an administrative professional with a strong passion for both social justice and the arts. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from George Mason University (GMU) and combines her academic background with hands-on experience in social services and organizational support.

John von Bergen was born in Connecticut. He earned his B.F.A. Degree with Honors from School of Visual Arts in New York City. After relocating to Berlin, Germany in 2003 his work has been exhibited in various international museums, galleries and institutions, including Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, Galerie Schmela in Düsseldorf, Pera Museum in Istanbul, and Smack Mellon in New York.

Joe Mullins has been forensic artist since 1999 with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He has helped identify and trace long term missing children, approximate unknown skeletal remains, and reconstruct faces and soft tissue, paving the way for law enforcement to solve their investigations.

Jonathan Dahm Robertson

Minjoo Kim is a visiting assistant professor in the School of Theater at George Mason University. She teaches lighting design, theatrical design, and technical theater.

Sona Kharatian is a seasoned professional in the world of ballet, bringing over two decades of experience as a professional ballet dancer, instructor, and rehearsal director.

Hunter Muirheid received his Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in graphic design from George Mason University, Fairfax in 2024. He posts for the School of Art socials and also works on prints, web updates, and the newsletter.

Bobby Lacy II is a singer, songwriter, producer, professor, musician, director and award winning spoken word artist. Born in Waco, TX but made a name for himself in the DMV area as an audio visual specialist working closely with the Mayor's office in Washington DC right out of high school.

Jamie Johnson teaches FAVS 333 Sound Editing and Recording.

Ariel serves as the Assistant Coordinator of Programs and Operations at Mason Community Arts Academy. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Music Education from George Mason University and a Master’s of Music Performance from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.